SEARCY — No second-half comebacks for the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys this time.

The 19th-ranked Harding Bisons made sure of that with a 35-point stampede after ATU (5-4, 3-3 Great American Conference) pulled within 34-16 late in the first half. The Wonder Boys also suffered seven turnovers, and Harding celebrated homecoming in a big way by beating Arkansas Tech 76-23 on Saturday at First Security Stadium.

It was the second time this season the Wonder Boys gave up 76 points, after ATU lost to league-leading Henderson State 76-34 at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field on Sept. 15.

Harding (7-1, 5-1), which stayed in the hunt for the GAC championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs, started with a pair of John Gay field goals (42 and 37 yards, respectively) and took a 6-0 lead. That advantage grew to 34-0 after Arkansas Tech fumbled a kickoff return and Tanner Marsh was intercepted twice.

Bison Dempsey Bonner rushed 6 yards for Harding’s first touchdown with 6:47 to go in the first quarter. Kelvin Martin connected with Jason Oller on a 72-yard touchdown pass for a 20-0 margin at 1:52. Martin crossed the goal line from 2 yards out for the Bisons’ 27-0 lead at the start of the second quarter, then Robo Westbrook broke loose and scampered 90 yards for a touchdown and a 34-0 with 11:54 left in the first half.

The Wonder Boys got on the scoreboard with 7:35 remaining in the second quarter when Marsh hit tight end James Jackson on a 14-yard touchdown toss. Trevor Pinkston’s PAT was blocked, but he booted a 22-yard field goal later.

Marsh threw a lateral to Jonathan Keener, who hit Dwight Brooks with a pass inside the Harding red zone. Tavadrick Lee scored on a 6-yard TD run, and Arkansas Tech had closed the gap to 34-16 with 4:40 to go in the second quarter. That score was set up by the Bisons’ only turnover of the day, a fumbled kickoff return recovered by Wonder Boy Will Farley.

Kelvin Martin was intercepted by ATU’s Amos Tatum, who returned it 76 yards for a touchdown. However, the Wonder Boys were penalized for being off sides, and it wiped out the touchdown and the turnover.

Harding then turned it loose and scored five straight touchdowns — Martin on a 5-yard run, Ahmad Scott on a 9-yard run, Westbrook on a 75-yard run, a 1-yard surge by Jackson-Best and a 2-yard rush by Russell Ward at the start of the fourth quarter. Tre Clark’s 8-yard touchdown run was the last scoring for the Bisons and made it 76-23 with 4:46 remaining in the game.

ATU’s final score came when DeRon Brown got behind the Bisons secondary, caught a Marsh pass and went 55 yards into the end zone.

Marsh passed for 253 yards, two touchdowns and connected with 11 different receivers. Harding, however, outgained the Wonder Boys 593-374 in total yards and rushed for 505.

Arkansas Tech will return to Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field next weekend when it will host the East Central (Okla.) Tigers, who upset Ouachita Baptist 37-27 on Saturday. Senior Day will kick off at 2 p.m.